Analog current command and settable slopes in voltage regulator

ABSTRACT

A voltage regulator coupled to an unregulated DC input voltage source by an input terminal, and to a load by an output terminal is disclosed. The voltage regulator converts an input voltage at the input terminal to an output voltage at the output terminal. The voltage regulator includes one or more slaves, and each slave includes a switching circuit which serves as a power switch for alternately coupling and decoupling the input terminal to an intermediate node. Each slave can include a high-side power transistor having a drain connected to the input terminal and a source connected to the intermediate node, and a low-side power transistor having a source connected to ground and a drain connected to the intermediate node. Each slave can act as a switching circuit to alternate between coupling the intermediate node to the input terminal and between the intermediate node to a ground.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/722,249, entitled “VOLTAGE REGULATOR,” filed Sep. 30, 2005, and from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/723,562, entitled “VOLTAGE REGULATOR,” filed Oct. 3, 2005 the disclosure of each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to voltage regulators, and more particularly to control systems for switching voltage regulators.

Voltage regulators, such as DC to DC converters, are used to provide stable voltage sources for electronic systems, particularly electronic systems that include integrated circuits. Efficient DC to DC converters are particularly needed for battery management in low power devices, such as laptop notebooks and cellular phones, but are also needed for higher power demand products, e.g., desktop computers or servers. Switching voltage regulators (or more simply “switching regulators”) are known to be an efficient type of DC to DC converter. A switching regulator generates an output voltage by converting an input DC voltage into a high frequency voltage, and filtering the high frequency voltage to generate the output DC voltage. Typically, the switching regulator includes a switch for alternately coupling and de-coupling an unregulated input DC voltage source, such as a battery, to a load, such as an integrated circuit. An output filter, typically including an inductor and a capacitor, is coupled between the input voltage source and the load to filter the output of the switch and thus provide the output DC voltage. A controller measures an electrical characteristic of the circuit, e.g., the voltage or current passing through the load, and sets the duty cycle of the switch in order to maintain the output DC voltage at a substantially uniform level.

Voltage regulators for microprocessors are subject to ever more stringent performance requirements. One trend is to operate at ever lower voltages, e.g., less than 1 volt, and at higher currents, e.g., 50-150 amps. Another trend is to turn on or off different parts of the microprocessor in each cycle in order to conserve power. This requires that the voltage regulator react very quickly to changes in the load, e.g., several nanoseconds to shift from the minimum to the maximum load, and to have a fast transient response, e.g., to quickly stabilize without significant voltage or current ripple.

Still another trend is to place the voltage regulator close to the microprocessor in order to reduce parasitic capacitance, resistance and/or inductance in the connecting lines and thereby avoid current losses. However, in order to place the voltage regulator close to the microprocessor, the voltage regulator needs to be small and have a convenient form factor.

In addition to these specific trends, high efficiency is generally desirable in order to avoid thermal overload at high loads and to increase battery life in portable systems. Another desirable feature is for the voltage regulator to have a “standby mode” which consumes little power at low loads.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A voltage regulator coupled to an unregulated DC input voltage source by an input terminal, and to a load by an output terminal is described. The voltage regulator converts an input voltage at the input terminal to an output voltage at the output terminal. The voltage regulator includes one or more slaves, and each slave includes a switching circuit which serves as a power switch for alternately coupling and decoupling the input terminal to an intermediate node. Each slave can include a high-side power transistor having a drain connected to the input terminal and a source connected to the intermediate node, and a low-side power transistor having a source connected to ground and a drain connected to the intermediate node. Each slave can act as a switching circuit to alternate between coupling the intermediate node to the input terminal and between the intermediate node to a ground.

In some implementations, the voltage regulator includes an input terminal coupled to an input voltage source and an output terminal coupled to a load. The voltage regulator also includes a master controller which receives a measurement of an output voltage at the output terminal and generates a differential analog signal, one or more slaves, each slave including a switching circuit to intermittently couple the input terminal to an intermediate terminal, an internal controller to control the switching circuit based on the differential analog signal, and a filter positioned between the intermediate terminal and the output terminal to provide a generally DC output voltage at the output terminal.

In another implementations, a master controller for a voltage regulator includes a microcontroller configured to perform instructions to receive a measurement of an output voltage at an output terminal of the voltage regulator, determine a desired total current to flow out of a plurality of slaves into a filter, and generate and supply a differential analog signal representing the desired total current to the slaves to maintain the output voltage at the output terminal at a predetermined level.

In yet another implementations, a slave for a voltage regulator includes an input port and an output port, a switching circuit to intermittently couple an input terminal of the voltage regulator to an intermediate terminal, and an internal controller to receive a differential analog signal and to control the switching circuit based on the differential analog signal.

In yet another implementations, a voltage regulator includes an input terminal to be coupled to an input voltage source and an output terminal to be coupled to a load. The voltage regulator also includes a master controller which receives a measurement of an output voltage at the output terminal and generates an analog signal, a plurality of slaves with each slave including a switching circuit to intermittently couple the input terminal to an intermediate terminal, and an internal controller that is configured to generate a desired slave current to control the switching circuit based on the analog signal, wherein at least one of a gain of the desired slave current relative to the analog signal or a maximum value of the desired slave current is set by a command from the master controller, and a filter between the intermediate terminals of the plurality of slaves and the output terminal to provide a generally DC output voltage at the output terminal.

In yet another implementations, a voltage regulator includes an input terminal coupled to an input voltage source and an output terminal coupled to a load. The voltage regulator additionally includes a master controller which receives a measurement of an output voltage at the output terminal and generates a control signal, a plurality of slaves with each slave having an intermediate terminal and receiving the control signal from the master controller and including a switching circuit to alternate between a first state in which the intermediate terminal is connected to the input terminal and a second state in which the intermediate terminal is connected to ground, and an internal controller configured to calculate a threshold based on the control signal and a parameter, to receive a measurement of a current flowing from the intermediate terminal, to switch from one of the first state and the second state to another of the first state and the second state when the current crosses a threshold, and to receive the parameter in a message from the master controller, and a filter between intermediate terminals and the output terminal to provide a generally DC output voltage at the output terminal.

Advantages of the invention may include the following.

The voltage regulator handles relatively large currents and reacts quickly to changes in the load. The voltage regulator can include multiple slaves which are operated out of phase in order to reduce current ripple. These and other features and advantages are realized by a method of operating a voltage regulator having an input terminal coupled to an input voltage source and an output terminal coupled to a load including detecting an output voltage at the output terminal, determining a desired current for a slave connected to an intermediate terminal, generating a differential analog signal representative of the desired current, and transitioning the slave from one of a first conduction state and a second conduction state to another of the first conduction state and a second conduction state based on the differential analog signal.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings illustrating features of this invention by way of example, but not by way of limitation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary switching regulator.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary switching regulator that includes a token ring communication system and a phase locked loop.

FIG. 3 is a timing diagram showing exemplary phase shifted switching clock signals.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an exemplary slave that receives a desired total current output control signal that is differential analog signal.

FIG. 5 is a graph illustrating determination of an exemplary desired current for a slave from a desired total current output control signal.

FIG. 6 is a timing diagram illustrating an exemplary switching clock signal, a ramping function, a current passing through a slave, and conduction periods of the high-side and low-side power transistors of a slave.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing an exemplary method performed by slaves of an exemplary switching regulator.

FIG. 8 is a timing diagram illustrating an exemplary ramping function, current passing through a slave, and timing of measurements to determine an offset of a ramping function from a desired current.

FIG. 9 illustrates a conventional voltage regulator.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 9 illustrates a prior art voltage regulator 910. Referring to FIG. 9, the switching regulator 910 includes one or more slaves 916 for converting an input voltage V_(in) at the input terminal 920 to an output voltage V_(out) at the output terminal 922, and a master controller 918 for controlling the operation of the slaves 916. Each slave 916 includes current sensors 940 and 942 to measure the current flowing through the transistors 930 and 932, respectively. Each current sensor generates a digital output signal on one or more output lines. The digital output signal on the output line then switches from high to low or from low to high depending on whether the current passing through the slave exceeds or falls below a trigger current. The master controller 918 then incorporates such switching information from the current sensors 940 and 942 in a digital current-based control algorithm. Specifically, based on the output voltage V_(out) and signal feedback received from the slaves and the current sensors, the digital current-based control algorithm controls and sets each slave to an appropriate open/close state so that the output voltage V_(out) is maintained at a substantially constant level. For example, a set of control signals a₁, a₂, . . . , a_(n), and b₁, b₂, . . . , b_(n) on the timing lines 944 a and 944 b generated by the master controller 918 controls the open/close state of the transistors 930 and 932 in each slave 916.

As noted above, each slave is individually controlled by its corresponding control signals (e.g., switching signals) provided by the master controller 918. Thus, one drawback associated with the prior art voltage regulator 910 shown in FIG. 9 is that as the number of slaves increases, the number of state control signals and state control lines for driving each slave also increases proportionally. This translates into higher cost and larger size for the master controller 918.

Furthermore, the switching scheme of each slave is governed by the master controller 918, and the received switching signals cannot be locally controlled or adjusted by the slaves. Thus, if the output voltage V_(out) at the output terminal 922 is modified, the master controller 918 needs to alter the entire transistor switching scheme previously assigned to the slaves so as to remain consistent with the modified output voltage. Such task lowers the overall efficiency of the master controller 918, and possibly degrades the performance of the voltage regulator 910.

Referring to FIG. 1, a switching regulator 10 is illustrated. The switching regulator 10 is coupled to an unregulated DC input voltage source 6, such as a battery, by an input terminal 12. The switching regulator 10 is also coupled to a load 8, such as an integrated circuit or video graphics board, by an output terminal 14. The load 8 typically has an expected target load line voltage V_(target) and a voltage tolerance ΔV_(target). A typical target voltage V_(target) for a microprocessor chip is in the range of about 0.5 to 1.6 volts, e.g., about 1.0 volts, and a typical voltage tolerance ΔV_(target) is about +/−1-2% of the target voltage V_(target), e.g., about 15 mV over a load line range of 0.8 to 1.2 volts. The switching regulator 10 serves as a DC-to-DC converter between the input terminal 12 and the output terminal 14. The switching regulator converts an input voltage V_(in) at the input terminal 12 to an output voltage V_(out) at the output terminal 14 which is within the tolerance ΔV_(target) of the target voltage V_(target). Although the switching regulator will be illustrated and described below for a buck converter topology, the invention is also applicable to other voltage regulator topologies, such as boost converter or buck-boost converter topologies.

The switching regulator 10 includes two or more (N) “slaves” 16 _(a), 16 _(b), 16 _(c) and 16 _(d) and an equal number (N) of inductors 18 _(a), 18 _(b), 18 _(c) and 18 _(d). Each inductor is coupled to the current output of an associated slave 16 _(a), 16 _(b), 16 _(c) and 16 _(d). Although illustrated with four slaves, the switching regulator could have two, six, or another number of slaves. The switching regulator 10 also includes a master controller 30 for controlling the operation of the slaves 16. The master controller 30 may be powered by the voltage source 6 (as illustrated) or by another voltage source.

If the current drawn from the load 8 (or simply “load”) increases, then the amount of current passing through the slaves is increased. This permits the current to “ramp up” until the desired load is reached. On the other hand, if the current drawn from the load 8 decreases, the amount of current passing through the active slaves is also decreased. This permits the current to “ramp down” until the desired load is achieved. In general, the master controller 30 can provide command to increase or decrease the current passing through the slaves 16 in response to a change in the output voltage after the load 8 changes. In some implementations, each slave can internally “clamp” or make the necessary adjustment to the current passing therethrough. That is, each slave can be configured to adjust a variable ramp rate if it detects that its output current is too large.

Each slave 16 includes a switching circuit which serves as a power switch for alternately coupling and decoupling the input terminal 12 to an intermediate node 24 _(a), 24 _(b), 24 _(c) and 24 _(d). The switching circuit also includes a rectifier, such as a switch or diode, coupling the intermediate node 24 to a low voltage line, e.g., ground. The opening and closing of the switching circuit generates an intermediate voltage V_(int) having a rectangular waveform at the intermediate node 24. In particular, each slave can include a high-side power transistor 20 _(a), 20 _(b), 20 _(c) and 20 _(d) having a drain connected to the input terminal 12 and a source connected to an intermediate node 24, and a low-side power transistor 22 a, 22 _(b), 22 _(c) and 22 _(d) having a source connected to ground and a drain connected to the intermediate node 24. Thus, each slave acts as a switching circuit to alternate between coupling the intermediate node 24 to the input terminal 14 and coupling the intermediate node 24 to ground. In one implementation, both the high-side transistor 20 and the low-side transistor 22 are N-type MOS (NMOS) devices (and the high-side transistor 20 can have a separate gate voltage supply with a ground referenced to the source of the high-side transistor 20). In another implementation, the high-side transistor 20 may be a P-type MOS (PMOS) device whereas the low-side transistor 22 may be an N-type MOS (NMOS) device. In still another implementation, the high-side transistor 20 may be a P-type MOS (PMOS) device whereas the low-side transistor 22 may be an LD-type MOS (LDMOS) device. Moreover, in some implementations, the low-side transistor 22 may be replaced or supplemented by a diode to provide rectification. The two transistors 20 and 22 may be driven by switching signals on control lines 40 and 42, respectively, to create a rectangular voltage waveform at the intermediate node 24.

The intermediate nodes 24 of the slaves are coupled to the output terminal 14 by an output filter. The output filter converts the rectangular waveforms at the intermediate nodes 24 into a substantially DC output voltage at the output terminal 14. The output filter can be considered to include both the inductors 18, and a capacitor 38 that is connected to ground and to the output terminal 14 in parallel. The inductors 18 and capacitor 38 are discrete elements that can be secured to the same board as the chip with the master controller 30 and the chips with the slaves 16.

In any particular slave, when the first transistor 20 is closed and the second transistor 22 is open (the high-side conduction state), the intermediate node 24 is connected to the voltage source 6 and the voltage source 6 supplies energy to the load 8 and the associated inductor 18 through the first transistor 20. On the other hand, if the first transistor 20 is open and the second transistor 22 is closed (the low-side conduction state), the intermediate node 24 is connected to the low voltage line, e.g., ground, and the energy is supplied to the load 8 by the inductor 18.

Each slave 16 can be fabricated on a separate chip. The master controller 30 can be fabricated on a separate chip from the slaves 16, or be located on the same chip as one of the slaves. The master controller 30 and the slaves 16 can be constructed with a combination of analog and digital components.

In some implementations, the master controller 30 can include a microcontroller 31 to set a switching frequency (S-phase) and a desired total output current (I-desired) on control lines 32 and 34, respectively. The master controller 30 can be connected to voltage sampling circuitry that measures the output voltage Vout at the output terminal 14 at one or more discrete times during each cycle of the switching circuit. The sampling circuit may be constructed substantially as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,020,729, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

The master controller 30 includes control circuitry, e.g., analog circuitry and the microcontroller 31, which can use the measured output voltage V_(out) to determine a desired total current which will maintain the output voltage V_(out) substantially at the desired target voltage V_(target), e.g., within the voltage tolerance. The desired total current is output as the I-desired signal on a control line 34, e.g., as an analog signal. Optionally, the master controller 30 can also use information from the slaves, e.g., sent over a communication ring 50 as will be described below with respect to FIG. 2, to determine the desired total current.

In some implementations, the target voltage V_(target) can be a function of the load 8, and can include a droop voltage. The target voltage V_(target) can be a linear function of the load 8, e.g. a load line voltage described as V_(target)=V_(nom)−I_(load)×R_(droop), where V_(nom) is the nominal voltage at zero current draw, I_(load) is the current flowing into the load, and R_(droop) is a constant representing a droop resistance. In these implementations, to determine the desired total current, the master controller 30 can make a simple differential comparison between V_(nom) and V_(out), and then multiply the difference by a gain factor G1, i.e., I_(desired)=G1×(V_(nom)−V_(out)). Based on the target voltage V_(target), the switching regulator 10 can adjust each slave to output a desired current that maintains the output voltage V_(out) at substantially the target voltage V_(target). This technique ensures that the slaves adapt to changes with respect to the output voltage V_(out) that may deviate from the target voltage V_(target). In other implementations, the target voltage V_(target) can be a constant value, independent of the load 8. In this later case, the master controller 30 would use a different technique to determine the desired total current.

In some implementations, the slaves receive a differential analog signal (e.g., differential voltage signal) from the master controller 30, and re-interpret the differential analog signal as an average current command. The slaves can be configured to output an average current proportional to the differential analog signal. The slaves can immediately detect if the average current command is high enough that could potentially damage the switching regulator 10, and effectively clamp the average current output so that a constant average current (e.g., an amount of current lower than the average current command) is output.

To determine and output an average current, the slaves can include internal circuitry that receives the differential analog signal, and converts the differential analog signal to a current command signal. For example, the internal circuitry can generate a high current command signal in response to a high differential voltage signal. The incoming differential voltage signal is then monitored on a continuous basis, and if the incoming differential voltage signal is deemed too high, the slaves can clamp the current command signal so as to keep the output current constant. The level to which the current command signal is clamped can be pre-configured as a default value in the slave, or can be communicated to each slave through a communication ring as will be described below with respect to FIG. 2.

In addition, the master controller 30 can include a clock that generates the S-phase signal, which is output on a control line 32. The S-phase signal is typically a square wave, and can have a frequency in the range of 500 kHz to 1500 kHz, e.g., 800 kHz. The S-phase and I-desired signals will be discussed in greater detail below.

Each slave 16 also includes an internal controller 26 which sends control signals on the control lines 40 and 42 as shown in FIG. 2 to the gates of the high-side transistor 20 and low-side transistor 22. Each internal controller 26 receives the same signals from the common control lines 32 and 34 (see FIG. 1) from the master controller 30. In addition, each slave 16 includes circuitry 61 (e.g., slave 16 a includes circuitry 61 a, slave 16 b includes circuitry 61 b and slave 16 n includes circuitry 61 n) to measure the output current from the slave that flows into the associated inductor 18, e.g., the current output at intermediate node 24, and to provide this information to the internal controller 26. In some implementations, the internal controller 26 can include an internal circuitry similar to that discussed above for determining and outputting an average current.

Based on the control signals 32, 34 and the measured current, each internal controller 26 determines when to switch between the high-side and low-side transistors in order to achieve, on average, the desired current for the particular slave, as will be discussed in greater detail below. In addition, the internal controller 26 ensures that the high-side transistor 20 and low-side transistor are not conducting simultaneously.

The intermediate node 24 of each slave 16 is electrically connected to one end of an associated inductor 18, whereas the other end of each inductor is electrically coupled and connected to the output terminal 14. In particular, the inductors 18 can be coupled (e.g., wound around a common core), and each winding can be made in the same orientation. The coupled inductors can be designed to have a ratio of magnetizing inductance to leakage inductance (LM/LL) of 7 to 10. In addition, the inductors 18 can have a magnetizing inductance sufficiently low to accommodate a DC current difference of about five amperes between the inductors without saturation (and instantaneous differences can be larger without saturation). Alternatively, the inductors 18 could be uncoupled.

One end of the capacitor 38 is connected to a ground and the end other end of the capacitor 38 is connected to one end of the output terminal 14. The same end of the output terminal 14 is in parallel with the inductors 18. Thus, the combination of the inductors 18 and the capacitor 38 converts the rectangular waveforms of the voltage at the intermediate nodes 24 into a substantially DC output voltage at the output terminal 14.

Referring to FIG. 2, in addition to receiving the control signals on control lines 32, 34, the internal controllers 26 and the master controller 30 can communicate using a ring communication scheme. That is, each controller (including each internal controller 26 and the master controller 30) is connected sequentially in a communication ring 50, and can be configured with a ring communication protocol to pass data bits sequentially from controller to controller (the communication ring could include a single line, such that the ring can only operate serially). The connections between the input and output ports on the slave chips can be hardwired electrical leads on the board.

In brief, the communication ring 50 can operate by passing message frames, with data or commands, from one controller to another. The message frame can include a header identifying the intended recipient controller of the message. For example, a command generated by the master controller can be passed from the master controller to the immediately adjacent internal controller. That internal controller determines whether the message is addressed to it. If it is not the intended recipient, the internal controller passes the message to the next controller. Thus, the message is passed from controller to controller until it reaches the addressed controller. If the internal controller is the intended recipient, the internal controller can act on the message, e.g., by sending a message out from its output port, for example, along the sequence of remaining controllers back to the master controller. In addition, each message is essentially a token that represents which controller is permitted to transmit messages, thus avoiding fighting over control of the communication ring. In other implementations, the communication ring 50 could be replaced by a token ring, or by an Ethernet, to permit communication between the controllers.

This ring-communication scheme can be used to pass commands from the master controller 30 to the internal controllers 26 and to pass information from the internal controllers 26 back to the master controller 30. Unlike the S-phase and I-desired signal, which are used for immediate control of the response of the power transistors, these commands and information are of lower priority tasks, e.g., configuring the slaves, that do not require action at the S-phase frequency. For example, switching events triggered by the S-phase signal can be separated by about 1.25 microseconds (assuming that the S-phase signal has a frequency of 800 kHz). In contrast, the messages passed through the communication ring may have an expected response time several hundred to thousand times slower, e.g., on the order of 300 microseconds to 1 millisecond.

Each internal controller 26 includes a phase-locked loop 60 which offsets the S-phase signal on line 32 so that each slave is phase-offset relative to the other slaves. The phase-offset S-phase signal is input to the control circuitry 62 in the internal controller 26 so that the phase onset of the high-side conduction phase of each slave is phase offset from the other slaves. For example, if two slaves are active, then they should be 180° out of phase, and the time delay should be equal to one-half of the switching period T, i.e., Φ(1)=½ T, of the S-phase signal. As shown in FIG. 3, if four slaves are active, then they should be 90° out of phase, and the time delays Φ(1), Φ(2), Φ(3) should be equal to one-third and two-thirds of the switching period, respectively. More generally, for N slaves, the time delay should be 0, 1/N . . . , (N−1)/N of the switching period T. However, under some coupled inductor configurations, the phase shift may not be (N−1)/N of the switching period. In general, by operating the slaves out of phase, the current ripples from each slave will at least partially cancel, thereby providing a more constant output current from the switching regulator.

The phase-offset for the phase-locked loop 60 can be set during a start-up configuration. In particular, during start-up configuration for the voltage regulator 10, the master controller 30 sends a command on the communication ring 50 that counts the number of slaves and causes each slave to determine what particular phase offset should be used for that slave. For example, the master controller can generate a start-up configuration message that includes a counter. After receiving the message, the slave 16 increments the counter, records the number of the counter in an internal register, and passes the message to a next slave 16. When the last slave passes the message back to the master controller 30, the counter is equal to the number of slaves, and each slave has a unique identification in its register. Then the master controller generates a second message on the communication ring 50 that sends the value of the total number of slaves to each internal controller 26.

Since each internal controller then has a unique identifier and knows the total number of slaves, it can determine the appropriate phase offset for itself, e.g., by accessing a look-up table, e.g., as stored in a custom digital circuit or in the memory of a controller. For example, the internal controller can simply calculate a phase offset Φ(i) representing the time delay in phase lock loop 60 using the following table:

TABLE 1 Desired phase Total number of active slaves offset 1 2 3 4 5 Φ(0) [reference] 0 0 0 0 0 Φ(1) ½ T ⅔ T ½ T ⅗ T Φ(2) ⅓ T ¼ T ⅕ T Φ(3) ¾ T ⅘ T Φ(4) ⅖ T

In general, as shown in the Table, the system can allocate switching slots so that as few spatially adjacent slaves (e.g., based on positions of the inductors on the core) as possible have adjacent switching events. For example, the sum of phase differences between spatially adjacent slaves can be maximized.

It is also possible for there to be more complex arrangement of the inductors, which can result in a more complex phase offset determination. For example, it is possible for the switching regulator to include two or more inductor banks, with each bank of inductors wound around its own core. For example, a switching regulator can include six inductors, with a first bank of three inductors coupled to each other (e.g., wound around a first core), a second bank of three inductors coupled to each other (e.g., wound around a separate second core), but the first group not coupled to the second group. In general, if the banks include an equal number of inductors, then the slaves can be offset by 0, 1/N . . . , (N−1)/N of the switching period T, where N is the total number of slaves. For example, in the example with two banks of three inductors, the first bank could have phase offsets of 0, 120° and 240° and the second bank could have phase offsets of 60°, 180° and 300°.

It is also possible for the two banks to have different numbers of inductors. In this case, the proper phase offset can depend on whether the goal is to minimize slave current ripple or to minimize aggregate output current ripple. In general, if the goal is to minimize aggregate output current ripple, the slaves are switched as if uncoupled, e.g., the slaves are phase offset by 0, 1/N . . . , (N−1)/N of the switching period T, where N is the total number of slaves.

On the other hand, if the goal is to minimize slave current ripple, the slaves within a given bank are phase offset by 0, 1/M . . . , (M−1)/M of the switching period T, where M is the number of slaves in the given bank. In addition, the first slave in one bank can be phase offset from the first slave in the second bank. For example, for a switching regulator that includes a first bank of five inductors and a second bank of four inductors, the inductors of the first bank can switch at 0, 72°, 144°, 216° and 288°, and the second bank of inductors can switch at 45°, 135°, 215° and 285°. The exact phase differences will depend on the granularity of the phase locked loop 60. Alternatively, one or more of the particular slaves can be phase offset to avoid switching at the same time as another slave.

Although illustrated as a single line 34 in FIG. 1, the I-desired signal can be a differential analog signal as shown in FIG. 4. In particular, the master controller 30 can output a first analog voltage signal V_(I-desired-high) on line 34 a, and a second analog voltage signal V_(I-desired-low) on line 34 b.

The internal controller 26 can include a differential amplifier 52 to generate a voltage difference V _(I-desired) =V _(I-desired-high) −V _(I-desired-low)

and an averaging node 54 to calculate the common mode voltage V _(common mode)=(V _(I-desired-high) +V _(I-desired-low))/2

Referring to FIG. 5, the differential amplifier 52 (or other elements in circuitry 62) is configured to output a voltage that represents the desired current I_(des)(i) for the particular slave. The desired slave current I_(des)(i) represents a value proportional to the desired total current, e.g., 1/N (where N is the number of slaves) of I-desired, but is capped at a maximum current I_(max). (represented by a maximum voltage). Capping the desired slave current provides over-current protection to prevent the voltage regulator from attempting to output an amount of current that could damage the circuit. Both the gain G2 and the maximum current value I_(max) can be programmable. I_(max) and G2 can be set by commands passed from the master controller 30 through the communication ring 50.

As noted above, the internal controllers 26 receive the S-phase signal on control line 32 and I-desired signal on control line 34, and independently determine whether to switch between the high-side and low-side conduction phases. However, the common mode voltage can also be used to override the internal controllers 26. If the common mode voltage V_(common mode) falls within a preset range (e.g., between a first threshold and a second higher threshold), the internal controller 26 operates normally, and determines locally whether to switch between the high-side and low-side conduction phases. However, if the common mode voltage V_(common mode) is outside the preset range (e.g., either below the first threshold or above the second threshold), switching is disabled and the slave is forced to the low-side conduction phase (or alternatively to a floating state or high impedance state in which both transistors are open). This is useful if a sudden shut-down of the slave is needed.

Referring to FIG. 6, at a given slave, the internal controller 26 triggers the high-side conduction period based on the calculated phase shift from the leading edge of the S-phase signal 32. Thus, barring period-skipping events, the switching circuit has a frequency equal to the S-phase signal, and a given slave switches to the high-side conduction period at each leading edge of the S-phase signal (as phase shifted for the particular slave).

The internal controller 26 triggers the low-side conduction period based on a comparison of an output current from the slave I_(slave) to a ramping function I_(ramp). Specifically, if the output current I_(slave) equals or exceeds the ramping function I_(ramp), the slave switches to the low-side conduction phase. The measurement of the output current can be provided by a current mirror that mirrors the current flowing from the intermediate node 24 to the inductor 18.

The slope of the ramping function I_(ramp) can affect the slave's output response to changes in the average current commands. Those skilled in the art will understand that the relationship between the value of the slope of the ramping function, the output voltage and the values of the inductors interact to provide different dynamics.

In another implementations, the internal controllers 26 can generate an estimated or ghost current that represents the actual slave current, and the estimated current can be compared to the ramping function. The estimated current can be calculated by increasing the estimated current I_(estimate) by a ramp-up value ΔI_(up) at each clock cycle during the high-side conduction state, and decreasing the estimated current I_(estimate) by a ramp-down value ΔI_(down) at each clock cycle during the low-side conduction state. Ramp-up and ramp-down values are discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,268,716, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. The estimated current can be periodically compared to the actual slave current to adjust the estimate.

The ramp function I_(ramp) can be generated by analog components or be digitally synthesized. Each slave can include an internal circuitry (e.g., internal controller 26) to provide the values of the ramp function I_(ramp). In these implementations, the slave can provide multiple values for the slope of the ramp function I_(ramp) so as to accommodate various switching regulators designed for different applications. Each slave can employ a different ramp function, and the communication ring 50 can be used to inform each slave a suitable slope for a corresponding ramp function selected for that particular slave.

At the start of each high-side conduction period (e.g., as triggered by the leading edge of the phase-shifted S-signal from the phase lock loop 60), the ramp function I_(ramp) is set to a value equal to the desired current I_(des) plus an offset ΔI_(offset). The ramp function then decreases with a slope G3. The value for G3 can be set digitally and can be passed from the master controller 18 to the internal controllers 26 using the communication ring 50.

If the desired total current I_(desired) increases, the desired slave current I_(des) also increases, thus raising the ramp function I_(ramp). As a result, the high-phase conduction period will last longer (at least during that cycle), and the current will ramp up for a longer time (at least during that cycle), and average slave current will increase. Conversely, if the desired total current I_(desired) decreases, the desired slave current I_(des) also decreases, thus lowering the ramp function I_(ramp). As a result, the high-phase conduction period will be shorter (at least during that cycle), the current will ramp down for a longer time (at least during that cycle), and the average slave current will decrease.

The internal controller 26 can include a combination of analog and digital components. For example, the internal controller can include analog components that generate the ramp function and compare the measured output current to the ramp function to determine whether to switch the transistors to the low-side conduction state. However, various control voltages for the analog components can be set by digital components.

Referring to FIG. 7, the internal controller determines a desired current I_(des) for the particular slave, e.g., by applying a gain to the differential analog signal I-desired 34 (step 102), generates a ramp current I_(ramp) for the slave based on I-desired (step 104), controls the high-side transition of the first and second transistors 20 and 22 based on the S-phase signal (step 106) and controls the low-side transition of the first and second transistors 20 and 22 by a comparison of the slave current to the ramp function (step 108), e.g., when the estimated output current I_(estimate) equals or exceeds the ramping function I_(ramp). It should be realized that, as these steps can be performed by analog components, where appropriate they can be considered to be performed on a continuous and simultaneous basis.

The internal controller 26 can also includes a microcontroller 66 (see FIG. 4) that can perform a digital control algorithm at a clock frequency ƒ_(slave-clock). The clock frequency ƒ_(slave-clock) can be generated by multiplying the S-phase signal on line 34, e.g. by a factor of ten to fifty, e.g. by twenty-eight or thirty. The resulting clock frequency ƒ_(clock) can be between about 16 and 66 MHz, e.g., about 33 MHz. Alternatively, the clock signal ƒ_(slave-clock) may be generated by the same clock that runs the microprocessor, by other IC devices in the load, or by a clock on the master controller chip.

The offset ΔI_(offset) for the ramp function is selected such the resulting switching performance causes the average current from the slave to be about equal to the desired slave current I_(des). However, the inductance L, the input voltage V_(in), are not known exactly (in addition, the output voltage V_(out) is not necessarily known in the internal controller 26) and can change over time or vary from circuit to circuit, causing the slope of the slave current to depart from the expected value. Thus, the offset ΔI_(offset) can depart from the value needed to cause the average current from the slave to be about equal to the desired slave current. However, it is possible to use current measurements in an algorithm to correct the offset ΔI_(offset).

Referring to FIG. 8, in one implementation, each switching period T, the current I_(slave) for the slave is checked twice. First, at a time t1, a fixed time Δt after the beginning of the low-side conduction period, the actual current I_(slave1) is compared to the desired current I_(des) plus a current offset DELTA. Second, at a time t2 a fixed time Δt before the beginning of the high-side conduction period, the actual current I_(slave2) is compared to the desired current I_(des) minus the current offset DELTA. Thus, 2×DELTA is about equal to the peak to valley difference of the estimated current.

In some implementations, the phase-locked loop 60 can generate an output signal having a higher frequency than the S-phase signal on line 32. The signal having a higher frequency is then used to configure the fixed time Δt, current offset DELTA, time t1 and time t2 to improve the efficiency (e.g., the switching period and phase difference of the slaves) of the switching regulator 10.

If the first current I_(slave1) is greater than I_(des)+DELTA and the second current I_(slave2) is greater than I_(des)−DELTA, then it is likely that the overall current is too high, and therefore the offset ΔI_(offset) can be reduced. If the first current I_(slave1) is less than I_(des)+DELTA and the second current I_(slave2) is less than I_(des)−DELTA, then it is likely that the overall current is too low, and therefore the offset ΔI_(offset) can be increased. If the first current I_(slave1) is greater than I_(des)+DELTA but the second current I_(slave2) is less than I_(des)−DELTA, then it is likely that the peak to peak current is larger than DELTA, and therefore DELTA can be increased. If the first current I_(slave1) is less than I_(des)+DELTA but the second current I_(slave2) is greater than I_(des)−DELTA, then it is likely that the peak to peak current is smaller than DELTA, and therefore DELTA can be decreased. This is summarized in the following table:

TABLE 2 comparison at t1 comparison at t2 result I_(slave1) > I_(des) + DELTA I_(slave2) > I_(des) − DELTA decrease ΔI_(offset) I_(slave2) < I_(des) − DELTA increase DELTA I_(slave1) < I_(des) + DELTA I_(slave2) > I_(des) − DELTA decrease DELTA I_(slave2) < I_(des) − DELTA increase ΔI_(offset)

Once both DELTA and the ramp offset ΔI_(offset) have the proper values, the currents at t1 and t2 will be equidistant from the desired current I_(des), and consequently average of the real current I_(slave) will match the desired slave current I_(des). 

1. A voltage regulator having an input terminal coupled to an input voltage source and an output terminal coupled to a load, comprising: a master controller which receives a measurement of an output voltage at the output terminal and generates a differential analog signal with a voltage differential indicative of a desired total current associated with maintaining a DC output voltage at a desired level; one or more slaves, each slave including a switching circuit to intermittently couple the input terminal to an intermediate terminal, and an internal controller to control the switching circuit based on the differential analog signal; and a filter positioned between the intermediate terminal and the output terminal to provide the DC output voltage at the desired level at the output terminal.
 2. The voltage regulator of claim 1, wherein the switching circuit couples the intermediate terminal to ground.
 3. The voltage regulator of claim 1, wherein the switching circuit operates at a predetermined switching frequency, and the internal controller is configured to determine a duty cycle of the switching circuit based on the differential analog signal.
 4. The voltage regulator of claim 1, wherein the desired total current represents a desired total current to flow through the one or more slaves.
 5. The voltage regulator of claim 1, wherein the master controller is configured such that the differential analog signal has a voltage differential proportional to the desired total current that flows through the one or more slaves.
 6. The voltage regulator of claim 5, wherein the internal controller is configured to determine the desired total current based on the voltage differential of the differential analog signal.
 7. The voltage regulator of claim 5, wherein the master controller is configured such that the differential analog signal has a common mode voltage representative of a switching mode.
 8. The voltage regulator of claim 1, wherein the internal controller is configured to determine a switching mode of at least one of the one or more slaves based on a common mode voltage of the differential analog signal.
 9. The voltage regulator of claim 8, wherein the internal controller is configured to determine whether the common mode voltage exceeds a predetermined threshold and to select an appropriate switching mode based on the determination.
 10. The voltage regulator of claim 8, wherein the switching mode includes a first switching mode and a second switching mode, and the internal controller is configured to determine and select between the first switching mode and the second switching mode.
 11. The voltage regulator of claim 10, wherein in the first switching mode, the switching circuit operates at a predetermined switching frequency and the internal controller is configured to determine a duty cycle of the switching circuit based on the differential analog signal.
 12. The voltage regulator of claim 10, wherein in the second switching mode, the switching circuit is deactivated.
 13. The voltage regulator of claim 1, wherein the internal controller is configured to determine a desired local current that flows through at least one of the one or more slaves and into the filter based on the differential analog signal.
 14. The voltage regulator of claim 13, wherein the internal controller is configured to limit the desired local current to a predetermined maximum value.
 15. The voltage regulator of claim 14, wherein the predetermined maximum value is set by a command from the master controller.
 16. The voltage regulator of claim 13, wherein the internal controller is configured such that the desired local current is linearly proportional to the differential analog signal and to a gain that can be set by a command from the master controller.
 17. The voltage regulator of claim 1, wherein the master controller is fabricated on a different chip from at least one of the one or more slaves.
 18. The voltage regulator of claim 1, wherein a common mode voltage of the differential analog signal is representative of a switching mode of the switching circuit.
 19. The voltage regulator of claim 18, further comprising a microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller is configured to set the common mode voltage within a first range under normal operating conditions and to set the common mode voltage within a different second range if the microcontroller determines that the switching circuit is to be deactivated.
 20. The voltage regulator of claim 1, wherein at least one slave includes an internal circuitry configured to: receive the differential analog signal including a differential voltage signal; and convert the differential voltage signal to a current command signal that represents a desired current flowing through the at least one slave.
 21. The voltage regulator of claim 20, wherein the at least one slave is configured to override the current command signal, and adjust the desired current by a predetermined clamp value if the differential voltage signal is unsuitable to maintain the output voltage at constant.
 22. A master controller for a voltage regulator, the master controller comprising a microcontroller configured to perform instructions to: receive a measurement of an output voltage at an output terminal of the voltage regulator; determine a desired total current to flow out of a plurality of slaves into a filter based on the measurement of the output voltage; generate and supply a differential analog signal representing the desired total current to the slaves to maintain the output voltage at the output terminal at a predetermined level; and modify the desired total current if the output voltage resulting from the desired total current exceeds the predetermined threshold.
 23. The master controller of claim 22, wherein the microcontroller is further configured to perform instructions to determine a switching mode for at least one slave.
 24. The master controller of claim 23, wherein the differential analog signal includes a voltage differential, and the microcontroller is configured to determine the voltage differential based on the desired total current.
 25. The master controller of claim 23, wherein the differential analog signal includes a common mode voltage, and the microcontroller is configured to set the common mode voltage to control the switching mode of at least one slave.
 26. The master controller of claim 23, wherein the switching signal is in a form of a square wave, and has a frequency range of 500 kHz to 1500 kHz.
 27. The master controller of claim 22, wherein the master controller is further configured to perform instructions to generate a switching signal for setting a switching frequency of the slaves.
 28. The master controller of claim 22, wherein the master controller provides a common differential analog signal to each slave.
 29. The master controller of claim 22, wherein the master controller is further configured to perform instructions to generate a message to the slaves to perform a predetermined function.
 30. The master controller of claim 22, wherein the microcontroller is configured to send a message to control a desired slave current flowing through a corresponding slave.
 31. The master controller of claim 22, wherein the predetermined level is in the range of 0.5 to 1.6 volts.
 32. A slave for a voltage regulator, the slave comprising: an input port and an output port; a switching circuit to intermittently couple an input terminal of the voltage regulator to an intermediate terminal coupled to an output terminal; and an internal controller to receive a differential analog signal with a voltage differential indicative of a desired total current associated with one or more slaves including the slave and to control the switching circuit based on the desired total current so that the slave outputs a desired slave current proportional to the desired total current that allows an output voltage at the output terminal to be maintained at a desired level.
 33. The slave of claim 32, wherein the differential analog signal includes a voltage differential, and the internal controller is configured to determine a desired slave current for the slave based on the voltage differential.
 34. The slave of claim 33, wherein the internal controller limits the desired slave current to a predetermined maximum value.
 35. The slave of claim 34, wherein the internal controller is configured to set the predetermined maximum value in response to a command received at the input port.
 36. The slave of claim 35, wherein the internal controller receives a switching signal having a switching frequency, and wherein the internal controller is configured to switch the switching circuit at the switching frequency and to determine a duty cycle of the switching circuit based on the differential analog signal.
 37. The slave of claim 33, wherein the internal controller generates the desired slave current using a gain, and the internal controller is configured to set the gain in response to a command received at the input port.
 38. The slave of claim 32, wherein the differential analog signal includes a common mode voltage, and the internal controller is configured to select one of a first switching mode and a second switching mode based on the common mode voltage.
 39. The slave of claim 38, wherein in the first mode the internal controller is configured to control a duty cycle of switching circuit based on a differential voltage of the differential analog signal.
 40. The slave of claim 38, wherein in the second mode the internal controller is configured to deactivate the switching circuit.
 41. The slave of claim 38, wherein the internal controller determines the switching mode by comparing the common mode voltage to at least one threshold.
 42. The slave of claim 32, wherein the switching circuit includes a rectifier that couples the intermediate terminal to a ground.
 43. The slave of claim 32, wherein the switching circuit includes a first transistor having a drain connected to the input terminal and a source connected to the intermediate terminal, and a second transistor having a source connected to a ground and a drain connected to the intermediate terminal.
 44. The slave of claim 43, wherein the first transistor is a high side power transistor and the second transistor is a low side power transistor.
 45. The slave of claim 32, wherein opening and closing of the switching circuit generates an intermediate voltage having a rectangular waveform at the intermediate terminal.
 46. A voltage regulator having an input terminal to be coupled to an input voltage source and an output terminal to be coupled to a load, comprising: a master controller which receives a measurement of an output voltage at the output terminal and generates an analog signal; a plurality of slaves, each slave including a switching circuit to intermittently couple the input terminal to an intermediate terminal, and an internal controller that is configured to generate a desired slave current to control the switching circuit based on the analog signal, and wherein at least one of a gain of the desired slave current relative to the analog signal or a maximum value of the desired slave current is set by a command from the master controller; and a filter between the intermediate terminals of the plurality of slaves and the output terminal to provide a generally DC output voltage at the output terminal.
 47. The voltage regulator of claim 46, wherein each slave includes measurement circuitry to measure an output current that flows into the filter at the output of the slave, and to provide the measured output current to the internal controller.
 48. The voltage regulator of claim 47, wherein each internal controller determines an opening/closing state of the switching circuit based on the analog signal and the measured output current in order to generate the desired slave current.
 49. The voltage regulator of claim 46, wherein the internal controller of each slave includes a phase-locked loop configured to phase-offset an associated slave relative to other slaves.
 50. A voltage regulator having an input terminal coupled to an input voltage source and an output terminal coupled to a load, comprising: a master controller which receives a measurement of an output voltage at the output terminal and generates a control signal; a plurality of slaves, each slave having an intermediate terminal and receiving the control signal from the master controller, each slave including: a switching circuit to alternate between a first state in which the intermediate terminal is connected to the input terminal and a second state in which the intermediate terminal is connected to ground; an internal controller configured to calculate a threshold based on the control signal and a parameter, to receive a measurement of a current flowing from the intermediate terminal, to switch from one of the first state and the second state to another of the first state and the second state when the current crosses a threshold, and to receive the parameter in a message from the master controller; and a filter between intermediate terminals and the output terminal to provide a generally DC output voltage at the output terminal.
 51. The voltage regulator of claim 50, wherein the threshold is a ramp function.
 52. The voltage regulator of claim 51, wherein the parameter is a slope of the ramp function.
 53. The voltage regulator of claim 52, wherein the master controller sends a clock signal to the plurality of slaves, and wherein the internal controller triggers a change from the second state to the first state once per clock cycle of the clock signal.
 54. The voltage regulator of claim 50, wherein the internal controller triggers a change from the first state to the second state when the current equals or exceeds the threshold.
 55. A method of operating a voltage regulator having an input terminal coupled to an input voltage source and an output terminal coupled to a load, the method comprising: detecting an output voltage at the output terminal; determining a desired total current for one or more slaves, each slave connected to an associated intermediate terminal; generating a differential analog signal representative of the desired total current; and transitioning each slave from one of a first conduction state and a second conduction state to another of the first conduction state and a second conduction state based on the differential analog signal.
 56. The method of claim 55, where in the first conduction state, the intermediate terminal is coupled to the input terminal, and in the second conduction state, the intermediate terminal is coupled to ground.
 57. The method of claim 56, further comprising: detecting an output current of the slave at the intermediate terminal; receiving a parameter; deriving a ramp function for the slave based on the differential analog signal and the received parameter; and if the output current equals or exceeds the ramp function, transitioning the slave from the first conduction state to the second conduction state.
 58. The method of claim 56, wherein the parameter is a slope of the ramp function. 